Challenges Encountered by Science Teachers in Inquiry-Based Learning: Basis for In-Service Training

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is central to learner-centered science education, yet its classroom implementation may be constrained by learners' readiness, available resources, and teachers' pedagogical support. This phenomenological study investigated how science teachers understood IBL, the challenges they encountered in using it, and the strategies they employed to address those challenges as a basis for a contextualized in-service training program. Ten high school science teachers from the Schools District of Santa Barbara, Iloilo, were purposively selected. Data were collected through virtual in-depth interviews using a validated researcher-developed interview schedule and were analyzed thematically. The findings showed that teachers understood IBL as experiential learning that awakens curiosity and facilitates thinking, although their views differed regarding the degree of learner independence and the teacher's facilitative role. The principal challenges were learners' low affective engagement, limited higher-order thinking, inadequate school resources, low motivation, and difficulty with collaboration. Teachers responded by varying instructional strategies, using sequenced critical questions, reviewing prerequisite concepts, providing conferencing and guidance, integrating technology, and strengthening teamwork. These findings informed the Recast Science Teacher Education In-Service Training (ReSTEd INSET), a five-day contextualized professional development program aligned with the Framework for Philippine Science Teacher Education. The study concludes that effective IBL requires structured guidance, sufficient conceptual foundations, responsive classroom support, and sustained professional learning tailored to local conditions.